A man has been charged after allegedly kicking a dog in the head at a Bunnings carpark in Adelaide’s north.
The dog’s owner, Hayden Palkovics, claims the man kicked his rescue dog twice during a random attack outside the store on Sunday afternoon. Mr Palkovics said he was inside Bunnings for about 35 minutes when a “low life stranger” approached his dog and “booted it twice in the head”.
“I now understand why my dog was skittish when we got home and she now has a sore eye,” he said.
The incident was captured on dashcam footage from a passing motorist, showing a man kicking the dog in the face as he walked past a ute. “Kick it again and I’ll kick you in the … head,” a person can be heard yelling.
A witness described the incident as “absolutely disgusting”, saying, “He didn’t have to walk next to the car, he could’ve walked around it.” The witness added, “The dog simply barked at him, which any dog could potentially do, so there was ways around it. It was absolutely disgusting to be able to kick such an innocent animal.”
South Australia Police confirmed they arrested a 48-year-old man at a Smithfield address on Monday. He has been charged with ill treatment of an animal and is due to face the Elizabeth Magistrates Courts on April 14. Police said they were aware of the incident and investigated.
A Bunnings spokesperson said the company was deeply concerned by what allegedly occurred at the Parafield store. “The safety and wellbeing of our customers, their pets and our team members is our top priority,” the spokesperson said. “Any conduct that places people or animals at risk is unacceptable and has no place in or around our stores. “We urge anyone with information about this incident to contact South Australia Police. We will work with authorities in relation to their investigation if requested.”
